Roark and the Big Bad ExBabysitter
by sunyshore
Summary: Roark had always hoped his Dad wouldn't have to be all alone forever, but he's not sure he supports what's going on as much as he thought! OH MY! Will he and Riley's friendship survive! WHO KNOWS! BYRON X RILEY and VOLKNER X ROARK yaoi fic!
1. Chapter 1

"So... you're going to come to Oreburgh, for real?"

"For real."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

My boyfriend leaned close to give me a little kiss, and I gave him a big smile in return.

"Well, then, I'm counting on you." I paused, then flung my arms around his chest in a tight hug. "Volk, I'll miss you."

"I know," he replied, patting my back. My train pulled up then, but I continued to squeeze him until the conductor blew his whistle.

"Volk - I love youuuuuu!" I squealed as I flung myself onto the train, just before the doors closed. I turned instantly, smooshing my face into the glass and waving. Volkner mouthed back that he also loved me, and I squealed again.

After ten minutes of sitting on the train, though, I was done squealing and feeling sappy. I was nervous. Even worse, I was nervous because I was going to visit the two people I'd known longer than anyone, even longer than my Crani - er, Rampardos. I'd only found out the previous week that my best friend, only six years my senior, had long harbored a huge crush - for my father. This fact had me constantly wavering between happiness - at the thought of my Dad finally getting a little romantic attention - and disgust, also at the thought of my Dad finally getting a little romantic attention.

My Dad isn't the kind of guy who I would date, I decided. He never shaved or combed his hair, and his idea of fashion was torn pants and an old cloak. At least he showered, although sometimes growing up it surprised when I realized he was showering. I'd inherited his hate of hair-combing and his love for digging around in dirt and mud, but I always kept my clothes fresh and repaired, and I not only shaved my face, but I did the rest of myself, too.

And he was totally clueless. He had expierience with two things - Pokemon, and me. That was it. He really was an amazingly strong trainer, but he wasn't very worldly - case in point, he'd never caught on to one single lie I'd made in the two decades I'd been alive, and he still seemed to think that being gay was an affliction that made the suffered more girly and flamboyant, rather than simply being attracted to someone of the same sex as yourself.

I'd grown up thinking he was a homophobe. Turns out, he was just scared I'd end up a weak little pussy boy. Like Riley.

Riley, physically, couldn't be any more different from my Dad and I. His physique was small - smaller than Volkner, even - by the time I was seven (and he was already a teenager) I could already pick him up and throw him. Ever since I could remember, he'd always worn clean cut clothing, black turtlenecks, fancy jewelry, and poofy hats. His morning routine consisted of carefully flossing his teeth, cleaning out every single fingernail, clipping nosehairs, plucking eyebrows, applying a light layer of makeup, and a heavy dose of hairspray.

Yet he had fallen hard - for my father - and had fallen hard years ago without anyone noticing. I thought back to all the times I'd come home to find Riley and my Dad sitting on the couch together watching TV, or Riley might be going on and on about his famous ancestor and all the research he'd done on the topic.

Now what - would I come home to find them rolling around on the floor, kissing? Making out on the couch?

It was dark by the time the train stopped on the other side of Sinnoh. I got out and felt the same sort of sea breeze on my face, coming from a completely different sea. There was no lighthouse here - and no Volkner. Feeling much sadder than I had been before having that thought, I set out for my old house.

At the door, I grew nervous, a nightmare I'd had popping back into my mind. I knocked loudly - LOUDLY - until I heard my Dad shouting something that was probably "What the hell are you knocking for, boy?!".

"Coming in now!" I shouted loudly, closing the door behind me and kicking off my shoes. I approached the living room, peeking inside. Only my Dad was sitting there, staring at me like I was insane.

"What's up with you, boy?" he growled, patting the couch next to him. I sighed in relief, plopping down next to him and looking down at my toes. "Nothing... I'm just a little stressed out. Where's Riley?" I asked, trying to sound as natural as possible.

"Showering," Dad replied, scratching at his chin. I froze.

...ew.

"Oh," is what I said instead. "Hm. He's a clean guy."

"Showers like three times a day," Dad shrugged in a gesture of 'I have no clue what goes on in Riley's head'. I recognized it as a gesture we often used. I needed to relax, nothing was strange here, nothing going on. "How was the rest of your time in Sunyshore?" Dad turned to me, smiling a little.

"Oh!" I bit my lip. For the three times a day Riley showers, I was having sex about that often each day after we'd left the hot springs. We hadn't done much else. I laughed nervously. "Just regular boring guy stuff. Real boring."

"Guy stuff isn't boring!" Riley's soft voice spoke into my ears, and I yelped and turned around to stare at him. His hair was damp, but he'd still managed to make it stick up stylishly, and was wearing his usual very extra ultra fluffy bathrobe and slippers. "We're three guys, and we have had a lot of fun together. Besides, I bet that you mean sex, when you say guy stuff."

"NO!" I said loudly, making it obvious Riley was right. "I meant sex - I mean Pokemon battles! One kid challenged the gym with a CATERPIE! And he had YOUR badge, Dad!" I jabbed my finger into my Dad's chest. Dad frowned.

"It was a bootleg. I haven't ever lost to a god-damn Caterpie, not since I was five years old."

"Bootleg?" I said, so perplexed I forgot how uncomfortable I was. Riley nodded.

"Yes, it's all the craze right now. People sell them online. They sell your Gym's badge too, Roarkie."

"WHAT!" I snarled, clenching my hands into fists. "That's cheating! How can you tell if its a bootleg?"

"Because they completely blow," Dad chuckled. Riley chuckled along with him, and I snapped back to reality.

"Riley!" I said quickly. "Will you show me the website selling the badges?" The computer was upstairs, where we couldn't be overhead. "Um, I'm really curious."

Riley looked suspicious, but agreed. As soon as we got upstairs, I locked the door behind us and turned on him. "Man, I've waited and waited... now tell me what happened. ...DID something happen?" I ventured, realizing how threatening I'd sounded.

"What? Oh... with Byron..." he stared into space, his face melting into a dreamy expression. I poked him, and he looked surprised to see me for a moment. "Oh... yeah...teehee."

I tapped my foot in frustration. "Well, spit it out!"

Riley smiled sweetly at me. "Well, we... we kissed..."

"You did more than that, I saw a hickey on his neck!"

"Teehee," Riley giggled again, his cheeks turning pink. "Yes, well, I suppose I got a little happy."

"And he... he let you?" I suppressed a million different emotions that were threatening to burst out of me.

"Yeah..." Riley was drifting off into dreamland again.

"And... did anything... I mean... afterwards... in your room..."

Now Riley blushed for real, turning his handsome face away from me. "Yeah, something happened."

I gulped. "W...Riley... REALLY? But... he wasn't even drunk..."

"I know! Isn't it wonderful?" Riley's hands were suddenly gripping my own, and his happy face was so cute I forgot to be grossed out. "We... we haven't touched each other since then, I'm not pushing my luck, but I think he really enjoyed-"

"BLA BLA BLA BLA okay I got it!!" I slapped my hands over my ears. "I believe you, really, please, I was just curious, I don't need details about you and my Dad having sex-"

Riley gasped, reaching out to grab my wrists. "No, no, Roark! Not at all! It was only a handjob!! Besides - you ASKED!"

"NOOOoooo!" I wailed, yanking my wrists free and dancing around the room, my hands over my ears, gagging. "Why did I ask, why why why why why?!" The mental picture was enough to scar me for the rest of my life, I decided, and I began smacking myself on the head to get it out of my system. "AAARGH NOOOOOOoo!!" I felt Riley's little hands closing on my wrists again, trying to stop me hitting myself, and this time I gave in, leaning against his thin frame, but shaking his hands off.

"Don't touch me with your hands," I sighed, "not anymore."

"Roark, go to your room," Riley commanded, pointing at the door. "You need a good night's sleep and to decide if you are going to be supportive of me or have little tantrums like you did everyday when you were thirteen years old."

I slumped my shoulders, following his finger out the door. I stopped, turning back to peer at him, unable to stop myself.

"...where are YOU sleeping tonight?"

Riley didn't budge. "Go!"

I went into my old bedroom, staring at all of the Pokemon plushies still piled on my bed, and felt a little better as I closed the door behind me and started to get ready for bed.

Riley waited silently for a few minutes, pondering many a thing, then made up his mind and quietly slipped into my Dad's bedroom to wait for him. 


	2. Chapter 2

""""  
THIS CHAPTER IS NOT from Roark's POV! And is basically just Ironshippy lemon :) So enjoy if you want, if you don't you can skip to the next chapter and it wont matter.

""""

Byron came upstairs ten minutes later, sleepy and confused as to why Riley and Roark had not re-emerged. He glanced into the computer room, then noticed Roark's door was closed. He considered knocking to say goodnight, but decided the boy might already be asleep and didn't want to get grumbled at by his son. Riley, however, slept on the couch - so where had he gone? For a strange moment Byron wondered if he was in Roark's room - but that was stupid... probably.

Perturbed, he walked into his own bedroom, closing the door behind himself. He turned to the bed and jumped slightly in surprise to see Riley sitting there, staring at him, charm and sexiness radiating off him so that he almost glowed. His expression was one of pure seduction.

"Byron," he purred the name, "I was wondering if I could sleep in here with you tonight."

He'd deliberately worded it that way, as opposed to asking if he could 'sleep with him in there'. Byron glanced left and right, then mumbled his answer.

"Does Roark know you're in here?"

"No."

"Why did you have to wait for him to come home and be in the next room to come on to me again, man?"

Riley made a little pouty face. "Because I didn't want to push you... Roark being here means nothing. I just wanted to be up here tonight..." He bit his lip a little, deliberately trying to make himself look small and cute and innocent. "I was curious to see your reaction to me... if you'd be upset, or maybe want to... well."

Byron raised an eyebrow. "Well what?"

Riley patted the blankets beside him, and Byron walked over and sat down, the bed creaking slightly. Riley immediately slung an arm across his shoulders. "I was curious if you'd maybe want to..." He trailed off, shifting his weight and lifting himself up to press his soft lips against Byron's. Byron froze at first, then kissed back a little before using an arm to push Riley away. Riley stared at him, shocked and hurt.

"Why-"

"I don't want my son to find out about this," Byron said simply, his eyes boring into Riley's. Riley felt a sudden headache coming on - now what? Roark already knew. Riley had told him everything.

Shit.

"W...why don't you want Roark to know about-?"

"Because I know Roark, and I think he'd be really upset, maybe even feel betrayed. By both of us, not just me. He might also get jealous. Roark is very, very possessive. I didn't say anything at the time, but he was being very clingy towards Volkner and myself when we were all in Sunyshore." To Riley's surprise, Byron suddenly flopped down on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Riley stared, transfixed, at Byron's hard stomach. He knew after a few moments he wouldn't be able to hold back from touching it. "Roark is more mature than he was a year ago, he's a strong Gym Leader and handles situations like an adult, but I think he's still scared deep down of being left behind. He's been that way ever since his mom left us."

Riley bit his lip. He'd met Byron's ex-wife, back when he was younger, but he never really spoke to her. And he had clear memories of how hard Roark cried for months when she vanished one day. "Yes, well, he should know better than to think you or I will leave him. As for Volkner... I don't really know. I've heard a lot of stories about him."

"I know the stories," Byron growled, "but I ignore them, Volkner's my colleague, has been for a while now. It doesn't matter to me if he's sleeping with ten different people at once, that doesn't affect me or my job or my life."

"Byron - yes, it DOES!" Riley gasped. "What are you saying? Don't you know what that'd do to Roark, if Volkner left him or was sleeping with ten different people?"

"Why would Roark care?" Byron looked honestly perplexed. "He's probably happy as long as Volkner continues to sleep with him-"

"No, Byron, NO! You're completely wrong!" Riley's mouth gaped open in shock. "They're dating - they are boyfriends - don't you understand? Roark is completely crazy about Volkner. They're in a relationship. Neither of them is sleeping with anyone but the other!" Riley paused. "I hope."

Byron chuckled, shaking his head. "Is Roark really thinks Volkner is only-"

"Roark DOES think that, Byron, and Roark is right. I feel pretty sure anyway." Riley put a gentle hand on Byron's arm. "Byron, at this point, if you found out Volkner was cheating on Roark, it'd be your job to go and break his arms, I think."

"But Roark doesn't care if-"

"He DOES care!" Riley was losing his cool. "Byron - please, try to understand. Roark is in love with Volkner. They've been a couple for almost an entire year now. They go on dates together, and hold hands, and hug, and kiss, and they only do that with each other. It doesn't matter that they are both boys. Volkner is your son's significant other. Roark is in love with him."

Riley paused to catch his breath, feeling like he could see a flicker of realization in his friend's eyes. But when Byron spoke, he knew he'd realized the wrong thing.

"Is that what you want with me?" Byron said, sitting up a little, his expression hard to read. Riley gulped.

"N-no, Byron, I know you... you aren't..." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, steadying himself. "No. I desire you... your body... I have for a long time, like I told you last week. I don't need you to tuck me in at night or share a milkshake with me or whatever kind of sappy stuff your son and his boyfriend are interested in. I know you are not my property. You are my friend, my true friend. If you were to find a woman you wanted to marry, or find someone else to mess around with, that's... that's just fine." Riley swallowed hard to stop himself from retracting that last statement, and stood firm, waiting for an answer.

Byron was quiet for a moment, then mumbled, "I'm never going to get married again."

Typical Byron! Never responding to everything, always picking and choosing what required a reply. Riley steeled himself. "And what do you say to everything else I had to say?"

Byron shrugged, and Riley twitched in annoyance.

"Do you only let me kiss you - did you only touch me, out of pity, perhaps?"

"No, man!" Byron furrowed his brow. "Not out of pity - I don't do things out of pity, I do things that I want to do."

"I want you to do me," Riley surprised even himself by saying it. He blushed a little, turning to look at the wall.

"Riley, to be honest, I don't know what I'm supposed to do with a man," Byron said gruffly, sitting up. "Sorry."

Riley crawled up next to Byron, stealthily untying his own robe. "Then just treat me like you would if I was a woman." He opened the robe, sliding it down his shoulders before stretching out on his back on top of it, his thin, naked body completely revealed. He blushed harder now as Byron looked down on him, his eyes lingering on the erection that would make it difficult to treat Riley completely as he would a woman. "Please," Riley whispered, pleading. "I desire you, but I am not good at taking the lead..."

"I still don't understand why you don't want someone younger and better-looking," Byron grumbled, but before Riley could respond the older man had leaned over him, kissing him roughly, his calloused hands gripping the sides of Riley's chest. Riley let out of small sound of happiness into Byron's mouth, shocked and pleased as their tongues locked together, nearly yelping when Byron's fingers found his nipples, squeezing them hard.

"Oh- oh!" Riley breathed against Byron's lips. He felt lightheaded as Byron rolled the little nubs in his fingers, massaging the thing man's chest.

"Your chest is really flat," Byron grumbled, moving his lips to nibble on Riley's pale neck.

"A-ah...yes...well... after all, I- I am a-"

"I know you're a man," Byron smiled a little. "I mean, your body is very thin and flat, even for a man..." His large hands slid down to touch Riley's tummy, forcing a soft purr out of him. "I mean, my chest-"

"I don't work out every day, Byron," Riley continued to purr, pushing his hands up to grope Byron's muscular pectoral muscles through his thin shirt. "Mm... you ought to take off your shirt..."

Byron raised an eyebrow, but obliged, sitting up and throwing his shirt over into the corner. Byron reached up to grab onto the muscular chest again, but it was gone from his vision as Byron pushed his mouth to one of Riley's dark little nipples, rolling his tongue around it and sucking on it. Riley gasped, arching his body up, unexpectedly pushing his cock against Byron's hard, well muscled stomach.

"A-aah-!" He cried out a little, and Byron smirked, not saying a word but positioning himself on top of the smaller man, lowering his abdomen onto Riley's hips. Riley gasped again, and Byron moved to suck at the other nipple, massaging the previous one in his fingers. Riley couldn't stand it, pushing his hips up to grind himself against Byron's abs again, moaning.

"Oh, oh-! Byron!" Riley pumped his hips in earnest now, his entire body writhing as Byron worked on him. He reached up to grip Bryon's massive shoulders, his well-trimmed nails digging into the skin. Byron winced.

"Riley - you..."

"Byron," Riley whispered the name, his breath short as his hips undulated faster against Byron's body. "Byron... aah! M...may I... I... I'm gonna...a-ahhhh!"

Byron laughed against his friend's sweaty, trembling chest. "Are you asking my permission to come?"

"Y-yes...!"

"Go ahead, then," he replied quietly. Riley suddenly hooked one leg around Byron's waist, and his grinding became frenzied. Byron realized something with only a second to spare, slapping his hand over Riley's mouth as the young man cried out in a loud voice, his little body and legs wrapped tightly around Byron's, his nails digging even deeper into his arms. Byron could feel his friend shaking, and hear his whimpers and gasps muffled under his hand. Finally he relaxed himself, sinking into the bed, limbs going limp. Byron sat up crosslegged beside him, looking down at his wet and naked body, highly amused, and rather turned on.

"Riley, you're very cute," he mumbled with a grin. Riley's eyelids fluttered open, and he looked up at Byron with a dazed expression, a silly little smile on his face.

"Am I...?" he breathed.

"Yop."

Riley smiled, dragging himself up and flopping down into Byron's lap. Byron blinked in surprise as he started to undo his fly, then his boxer shorts.

"Riley...?"

"Relax, I want to take care of you," Riley replied, pulling Byron's large erection free from its cloth confines. He stared at it for a moment. "Wow," he finally said.

"You've seen it before, man," Byron mumbled, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden.

"Not this close and from this angle," Riley smiled up at Byron. "Now, relax, and be patient, I've never done this before, but I've watched videos of it on the internet, so I have an idea..."

"You're a real dapper prince," Byron snorted, leaning back against the headboard and attempting to relax himself. He sighed, biting back any other sounds as Riley's wet lips slipped onto his cock. For the whole time Riley worked on him, he was somewhat distracted from the act itself, as he struggled to hold back his moaning.

He hoped with all his might that the boy hadn't heard any of this.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up when beams of sunlight fell over my eyes the next morning, the same way they had for most of my life until I'd set out for my badges and gym leader training. I yawned and rolled over, expecting to see Volkner's dozing form next to me, but coming face to face with a Sheildon plushie. I blinked, waking up a little more, and realizing I was in Canalave, not Sunyshore. I instantly felt like pulling my jacket and pants on and rushing back into my boyfriend's arms.

I yawned again and stretched out, slowly climbing out of bed and padding downstairs in my undershirt and boxers. I poured myself a glass of milk in the kitchen, slopping some onto my chest when I drank it.

"I am NOT sexy today," I said to no one in particular, halfway realizing I was used to Luxray and Eevee being under the table during breakfast. I remembered being grumpy to Riley the previous night, and grudgingly headed into the living room to apologize.

He wasn't on the couch, it wasn't even unfolded into a couch-bed. None of his little makeup bags were lying around, nor was his hat or jacket. I realized with a sinking feeling he might have left in a hissy fit, as he was known to do sometimes. I ran my fingers through my hair, groaning in annoyance at myself. Why did I come here to be understanding and supportive, and just run around screaming and clawing at my eyes instead?

I wanted my Dad to be happy, and my friend Riley to be happy, but I couldn't get over how weird and upset I felt when I thought about them being TOGETHER, if they even were. I didn't want to have to come home and be gagging constantly.

But why was it making me gag? Maybe I had to realize that Volkner and I's shenanigans made OTHER people gag. Was that possible? I didn't really think my Dad understood enough to reach gagging point. Riley was fine with it.

Riley was fine with it...

And I felt like a horrible person all over again.

I rushed back up the stairs, knocking gently on my Dad's door. No response. I knocked again, and heard a loud yet somewhat muffled plopping sound, and turned the knob, perplexed. Dad was sitting up in bed, scratching the back of his neck and looking thoroughly sleepy. I blinked.

"Did something fall over?"

"'M pillow," Dad mumbled. I took one step into the room.

"Um... can I talk to you? I'm sorry if I woke you up."

My Dad paused, then nodded, patting the bed. I crawled onto the sheets, sitting crosslegged opposite him. "Um... I gotta ask a favour."

"What can I do for you, son?" He yawned again, but was slowly waking up. I sighed sadly.

"The truth is... last night... I kind of had a fight with Riley."

Dad's eyes opened a bit wider. "You did? What for?"

"I was making fun of him, and he yelled at me and sent me to my room." I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "I obeyed, I forgot I'm twenty-one now."

"We all forget that you're twenty-one sometimes, boy."

"Yeah, I know." I smiled weakly. "Well, anyway, he wasn't on the couch and his stuff isn't anywhere, and I think he must have been so hurt he had a hissy fit and stormed back to his cabin."

"He does tend to have hissy fits," Dad mumbled. I giggled, then tried to be serious again.

"Yes, well - I wanted to apologize to him, maybe get him a little..." I froze with my mouth hanging open on the last word. Dad blinked at me.

"Son?"

I was staring into the far corner. Riley's suit was neatly folded on top of his little prissy makeup box, his huge blue hat perched behind it against the wall. Dad didn't notice what I was looking at.

"What's wrong, Roark?"

"... he didn't go home," I said in a shocked voice. Dad made a very confused face. Oh, what a good actor!

"How do you know?"

"He's here. He's ..." It hit me all of a sudden. "He's here in your room." I was off the bed in a flash, disgust welling up inside of me. I stared at where I'd been sitting - looked clean enough. I stared hard at my Dad, who's resolve seemed to be breaking a little bit.

"Where is it?"

"I - I don't know," Dad replied weakly. I firmly stood my ground, filling my lungs with air and roaring.

"RILEY!!"

No reply. I stormed around the room, flinging pillows as I went. There was a very ugly lump of blankets on the floor on the other side of the bed, and I prodded it with my toe. A head suddenly popped out.

"Roark - don't kill me," Riley whimpered, hugging his knees to his chest, still wrapped in blanket. My heart was pounding and I felt headachey.

"Are you naked under that blanket?" I demanded. Riley just hugged his knees closer. "AAARGH!" I threw my arms up into the air, then pointed an accusatory finger at my Dad. "And you sitting there shirtless - I thought you must have just been hot last night..."

"Roark, you have no idea what you're talking about," my Dad growled angrily, and the sound made me pause in my rampaging for a second. I gathered my wits about me and started again.

"Don't I?" I asked in a trembling voice. "Actually, I think I do know what I'm talking about, when my Dad and my best friend are naked in bed together." My Dad crossed his huge arms, staring hard at the wall. I recognized it as his response for when he had no response. I continued. "Dad - I know. I know about you and Riley."

I saw my Dad give Riley a slightly angry glance, and I realized he didn't know Riley had told me. A merciful impulse passed through me momentarily. "I figured it out. I - saw you kiss, in Sunyshore."

Dad looked at me, completely shocked. "You saw-? How?"

"I was peeping." My usual lie-to-my-dad mechanism seemed to be broken, and my Dad looked furious. At least I'd had the sense not to incriminate Flint and Volkner as well.

"You were peep-"

"YES! OKAY!!" I balled my hands into fists. "Look - I -" I trembled, fighting with myself internally. I should accept them, I should be fine with it, I should be fine with my Dad, who'd slept alone for all these years, having someone chasing after him. I shouldn't be mad at him for giving in to it.

But I was.

"Y... you... you used to carry him around on your shoulders!"

"Roark-"

I couldn't stop myself. "You used to put bandaids on his bloody knees! You gave us money for ice cream on hot days! You went to his middle and high school graduations! You-"

"ROARK!!" My Dad roared, standing up and coming close, towering over me. "You are out of line, Roark - are you trying to say I've ever done anything - ANYTHING - inappropriate to yourself or Riley?!"

My mouth gaped open. "No, that's not what I-"

"Then you'd better shut your stupid mouth, boy," Dad snarled. I just stared at him, shocked. It had been a LONG time since I'd seen him this angry. There was a small click, and we both turned to see the door had closed. Riley was gone, as were his clothes. We'd been yelling so loud we hadn't noticed him sneaking away. Dad growled in frustration.

"Now look what you did, Roark!"

"What I did?!" I shrieked. "Look at yourself, Captain Oblivious! You forgot he was in here too!"

"YOU are the one who forgets he is 27 years old and allowed to do whatever the hell he wants-"

"NOT IF WHATEVER THE HELL HE WANTS TO DO IS MY FATHER!" I roared. I suddenly swayed on the spot, flopping onto the bed and grabbing my head in my hands, a headache threatening to rip open my skull. I winced, squeezing my eyes tightly shut, holding back tears.

A big but gentle hand touched my back. I shook my shoulder, trying to push it away, mumbling weakly. "G'way."

"Son." My Dad's voice was soft. "I'm not going to leave you - ever."

The tears trickled down between my fingers then. He was right - he'd figured it out before I had myself. My clueless father.

"If it went bad... like with mom... what if Riley left forever, and I never saw him again..." I turned my head, wiping my nose on my arm and sniffling hard. "Or the other way around... what if you-"

"I'm not going anywhere." The bed creaked as my Dad sat down next to me. I sniffled hard again, then gave in to my urges, leaning my head against his chest.

"How can I believe that?"

"Have I ever gone away without telling you?"

"No."

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"You lied to me when I came into this room." Sniffle.

"I didn't lie. I just didn't correct your misunderstanding."

"Clever." I suddenly realized something, something we'd forgotten twice already. I stood up and walked to the window, peering outside into the morning haze. "Dad."

He joined me, and together we watched Riley's form walking towards the docks. Dad sighed.

"I should probably-"

"No," I shook my head, "I should go. This is all my fault. You - he... nobody's done anything wrong but me." I headed out of the room, pulling on my socks, pants and jacket, then poking my head back into my Dad's room.

"Dad-"

"I'll still be here whether you come back with him or not," my Dad said, smiling a little. I just looked at him for a moment before rushing down the stairs two at a time and shooting out the door and down the road.

""" 


	4. Chapter 4

  
Riley had a good head start, and was already flagging down a boat by the time he heard me running up behind him, panting like a dog on a summer day. His eyes narrowed, and his voice was like steel.

"Go home, little baby Roarkie, I'm finished with your bipolar fits of stupidity," he said loudly. A few of the fishermen nearby looked up. I stopped in my tracks, realizing everyone in this town knew my father and I, and probably Riley as well.

"Riley..." I reached out to grab his arm, but he pulled away. I slumped over, still out of breath. "Please... come back home... I wanna... talk to you..."

"I'm going home NOW," Riley snuffed me out, turning his nose back to the docks. The ferry to Iron Island was nearing land. I stood tall then, crossing my arms.

"I'm gonna get on that boat, then."

Riley turned to glare at me. Now that I could see his eyes for a longer period of time, it was obvious how red and puffy they were. I bit my lip to avoid making fun of him for having a hissy fit.

"Come on, Riley. I want to apologize to you properly." I paused. "And to my Dad. Okay?"

"And five seconds later start to scream at us." Riley was refusing to look at me again. "After I supported you... you don't even know how much I've gone through to help your father understand you and Volkner... I regret ever helping. I should have just let nature run its course."

I winced. Had he really gone to that much trouble? "Riley... I'm sorry... I want to apologize for real, I feel really bad... so come back..." I reached for his arm again, and this time he let me grab it. Maybe it was due to the hint of tears forming in my eyes now. "Please. I don't wanna talk about this here." I glanced nervously at the fishermen again. They were smirking now. The last thing I needed was for my Dad's grisly old friends to find out he had his eye on Riley, the finest dressed man in Canalave.

"Fine." Riley's arm went slack in my hand. "Fine, I'll go. But for your father's sake, not yours."

I winced and let Riley go as we began walking back to the house. I noticed he was acting fidgety, straightening his hat and necklace three times before I dared to speak.

"What are you doing?"

He stared straight ahead. "I look like shit. I didn't have any time to fix my hair or do my makeup, I barely even looked in a mirror this morning."

"So?"

"SO," Riley sighed so exasperatedly I almost giggled. "You're forcing me to go back and parade around in front of Byron in this state-"

"Dad doesn't give a crap if you-"

"I give a crap, Roark!" Riley smacked me on the back of the head and I stumbled forward a few steps. It didn't upset me though - on the contrary, I felt better. Riley always smacked me that way, since we were little. "I like to look well dressed and properly groomed, unlike your father and yourself, I prefer to comb my hair and to not have dirt under my fingernails. I don't even want to think about what sort of state your house would be in if I didn't come clean it all the time. I shudder to think of how filthy you would have been growing up. At least you wash out your uniform, Byron hasn't bought a new outfit in a decade-"

"-then you ought to take him shopping," I suggested with a shrug.

Riley turned to me, raising one eyebrow. "Creepy."

"What?"

"You sounded just like Byron right then." And he went silent at that, folding his arms behind his back as he walked, probably to stop himself from fidgeting. I had no idea what he meant for a whole five minutes - then, with a jolt, it hit me that I'd just responded exactly as my father would have, ignoring everything but the last bit of a long rant.

"Well, I'd rather sound like him, than like you," I replied softly. Riley looked at me, his eyebrow still raised. I smiled a little. "Whining about not being properly groomed... oh, I've broken a nail! Oh, my makeup is leaking! Oh, my hat isn't sitting at just right jaunty angle I prefer it to be sitting at-"

"Oh, I can talk to fossils, they are telling me of their magical ancient life, even though they are dead dumb rocks!" Riley proclaimed, throwing his arms into the air. I frowned.

"Hey, I really can talk to-"

Ohmigosh! I found a fossil, and it's telling me to rush to Sunyshore City and hump the hell out of its Gym Leader! I'd better hurry, but I have to keep acting like an innocent little boy who isn't actually constantly having kinky phone sex-"

I gasped. "HOW - WHAT - how did you know that I-"

Riley roared his head off laughing. "I GUESSED, but you just confirmed, thank you, Roarkie."

I started to scowl, but then we stopped walking - my Dad stood up ahead of us, leaning on the front door of the house and looking thoroughly sleepy and grumpy.

"You two appear to have reaffirmed your love for one another," he grunted.

I rushed forward, throwing my arms around my father and burying my face in his shoulder. He merely grunted again, patting me on the back a little.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, get offa me, boy."

I looked up at him, smiling, and I felt ten years old once more. He rolled his eyes a little, wrapping an arm around my neck and dragging me into the house, Riley following and closing the door behind us. I continued to cling to him, albeit choking slightly. He let me go on the couch, and I coughed, then smiled up at him again.

"Dad, it's okay... Riley was already my mommy all along, so if you want to consummate your-"

"Riley is not your mother, boy!" Dad roared. "I'm tired of hearing you make fun of him - you watch your mouth before I wash it out with soap."

Riley blushed a little, behind my Dad. I grinned. "Aw gee Dad, I'm not making fun of Riley. Or you. I just love you both so much and want you to be happy." I pressed my palms together, smiling nervously. "I mean it. Okay? I'm sorry - for how I acted. I won't do it again."

Dad stared at me long and hard. He stared at me until I started to grow nervous, knowing he was about to yell or do something crazy. I suddenly missed my helmet very very badly.

"Riley!" He yelped. Riley looked startled.

"Byron?"

"Get over here," Dad growled. Riley and I both gulped. What was he going to do? He wouldn't stop staring at me intensely. Riley stood next to my Dad, peering at him nervously. He placed a small, pale hand on my Dad's massive arm.

"What's wrong?"

Dad seemed to be preparing himself mentally for something. I was about to speak, but he suddenly grabbed Riley's arm and swung the smaller man around so they were facing each other, then dipped him down, kissing him full on the lips. Riley squeaked in surprise, his face turning a deep shade of pink, but he looked happier than ever, and wrapped his arms around my Dad's neck.

I stared.

I twitched.

I swallowed hard, inching away from the scene bit by bit, my butt scooting over the couch cushion. I saw my Dad's eye look at me and stopped squirming.

I forced a little smile onto my face.

"Heh."

Okay, you can stop now. Jesus christ.

After what felt like thirty or so hours, my Dad straightened up, Riley's mostly limp body drooped in his arms. Riley made another small squeaking sound, then snapped himself out of it, using my Dad's chest to claw his way back into a standing position. I realized then that he probably forgot I was there, as he wrapped his thin arms around my Dad's neck, nuzzling into his beard.

"Oh, Byron, that was really sexy..."

My Dad coughed loudly, still staring hard at me. Riley blinked, then yelped, turning to face me as well. I still had the little forced grin on my face.

Only I realized then...

it was no longer a forced grin.

"Well," I said loudly, pushing up from the couch, "I'm here in Canalave till tomorrow morning, but I've just realized I've got a very important date...uh... training out in the woods, for oh... about three hours." I coughed, then headed for the door, my Dad and Riley looking incredibly confused behind me. "Three hours," I said again, loudly, "I'll walk back through this door, yep, until then, bye."

Before I closed the door, I saw a flicker of realization in the form of a twitchy smile forming on Riley's face. My Dad still looked clueless as ever, but I felt sure he wouldn't be clueless in another minute or so.

I headed out for the woods, but I didn't really plan to train. I whipped out my cellphone, dialing my most overused speedial.

"Hey... Volkner! Are you busy? I've got a really crazy story to tell you..."

END 


End file.
